Exogenous digestive enzymes in tambaqui juvenile feeding

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate feed addition of exogenous digestive enzymes amylase, lipase, and protease on the tambaqui performance in three independent experiments. In each experiment, the effect of different percentages of enzyme inclusion in the feed was evaluated: 0.0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2%, each with four repetitions, in a 28 days duration. Initial biometrics for the initial weight were performed for sample homogenization, and for the final weight, to verify treatments effect on fish performance. Each experimental unit was stocked with ten fish, and fed on up to apparent satiety twice a day (8 and 14h), on a commercial extruded feed containing 28% crude protein, grounded, added enzymes levels and then pelleted. At the end of the experiment weight gain, apparent feed conversion, and specific growth rate presented significant differences between treatments. Exogenous enzymes amylase at 0.05% and lipase at 0.2% in diets influenced juvenile tambaqui zootechnical performance. The addition of the exogenous protease did not present the same influence.